a quiet revolution

belonging revolution

Since July 2015, my friend and I have been strolling through Longmont, Colorado, neighborhoods with the specific intent of understanding to what level people believed and feel they belonged to our community. We are asking questions, creating dialogue and forming long-lasting relationships. To date, we’ve had over 500 conversations and made over 500 friends.

OUR MISSION

The concept is powerful. It has two dimensions. One is relational – I belong to this community and the other is one of ownership – this community belongs to me.

The vast majority of the people we have contacted on our neighborhood walks want to become more engaged and are willing to jump on the *commitment and accountability bandwagon that serves the good of the whole.

dang.. *not those.. wish we could talk

those are too opposed to our natural curiosity/whimsy.. which is where our best energy/art comes from

and to the engaged part – people need to be freed from ie: school/work otherwise we’re getting them hyped up when their schedules are already too full (costello screen service law)

We have begun to experience a certain alchemy associated with this sense of belonging that people so urgently want to feel

It’s the same story that permeates Khan’s previous film, Jihad, A Story of Others, for which she spent two years talking to Islamic extremists, convicted terrorists and former jihadi.

“I was really struck by how there were so many similarities between the experiences and the type of people that I met both within the white supremacist movement, but also within the jihad movement as well,” says Khan. “It’s almost as if it’s the same guy, and it’s almost as if some of the deeper reasons are either the same or incredibly similar..t

“These movements satisfy the basic human needs that we all have, and obviously for very cynical reasons, because they’re wanting to build the sense of loyalty, the sense of brotherhood and camaraderie with these men, so that they can be directed towards whatever political aims the various movements have,” she says.

Ironically, while these are hate groups, Khan says their actions are driven by love– a love for the fellow members of the group that have given them a sense of family, a love for the leaders of the group that have given them a sense of purpose.

Khan believes it’s down to the “magic” of sitting down face to face. “Everything becomes real. Your words and the impact of your words. The weight of those words becomes real,” she says.

“Why are you nice to me?” she asks Ken at one point. “Because I respect you,” he replies. “I actually consider you my friend.” Despite making a recent journey throwing other flyers out of the window targeting Syrian refugees, Ken admits to Khan that she is the first Muslim he has ever met.

Is Ken her friend?

“Yes, absolutely,” asserts Khan. “He forced me to challenge my own prejudices against guys like that as well. I was able to see his humanity.”.. t

mufleh humanity law: we have seen advances in every aspect of our lives except our humanity – Luma Mufleh

begs a means/mech to listen to all the voices.. everyday..as it could be

“This is a really hard thing for him to do,” she says. “He’s turning his back on his entire community. Now he really does need a friend because now he has none, he’s left them all behind based on a principle, based on these ideas that he no longer wants to subscribe to any more.”..t